A recent report from Sweden suggests that hand scrubbing with hexachlorophene by female hospital staff during the first trimester of pregnancy may induce congenital malformations. Since other evidence of the teratogenicity and toxicity of hexachlorophene already exists, and since hexachlorophene is currently being used by several major hospitals in the U.S., discussion of appropriate investigations of this potential problem have been initiated. It is likely that one or more U.S. hospital studies will be conducted involving collaboration between NICHD, FDA, and NIEHS, plus, perhaps, NIOSH.